Money judgment (or judgment for possession or sale) becomes unenforceable: 10 years after entry, unless renewed
120 months after date of entry of the judgment, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 683.020.
Rule text
CCP 683.020: "Except as otherwise provided by statute, upon the expiration of 10 years after the date of entry of a money judgment or a judgment for possession or sale of property: (a) The judgment may not be enforced. (b) All enforcement procedures pursuant to the judgment or to a writ or order issued pursuant to the judgment shall cease. (c) Any lien created by an enforcement procedure pursuant to the judgment is extinguished."
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date of entry of the judgment): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Add 120 months: Thursday, November 6, 2036.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 683.020
CCP 683.020: "Except as otherwise provided by statute, upon the expiration of 10 years after the date of entry of a money judgment or a judgment for possession or sale of property: (a) The judgment may not be enforced. (b) All enforcement procedures pursuant to the judgment or to a writ or order issued pursuant to the judgment shall cease. (c) Any lien created by an enforcement procedure pursuant to the judgment is extinguished."Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135."Official source
- 120 months = 10 years. roll none: the period of enforceability expires by operation of law. Installment judgments run separately for each installment (683.030; not modeled). Renewal extends enforceability (see judgment_renewal_application_last_day). Some judgments are exempt or governed by other statutes (e.g., family support). Section added Stats. 1982, ch. 1364, operative July 1, 1983.
- If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.
This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.
Worked example
Date of entry of the judgment on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Sunday, March 15, 2037.
- Trigger (Date of entry of the judgment): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Add 120 months: Sunday, March 15, 2037.
- That day is a Sunday, but this date is fixed by the rule and does not move: Sunday, March 15, 2037.
Notes
120 months = 10 years. roll none: the period of enforceability expires by operation of law. Installment judgments run separately for each installment (683.030; not modeled). Renewal extends enforceability (see judgment_renewal_application_last_day). Some judgments are exempt or governed by other statutes (e.g., family support). Section added Stats. 1982, ch. 1364, operative July 1, 1983.
Related deadlines
- Last day to file application for renewal of judgment (before the 10-year period of enforceability expires) (120 months after)
- Last day to file application to renew a previously renewed judgment (10 years after prior renewal application filed) (120 months after)
- Judgment debtor's motion to vacate or modify renewal of judgment: 60 days after service of notice of renewal (60 days after)
- Proof of personal service of renewal application on transferee of liened real property (90 days after filing application) (90 days after)
- Real property judgment lien (recorded abstract) expires 10 years after entry of judgment; record renewal before then to extend (120 months after)
- Judgment creditor must file or deliver acknowledgment of satisfaction: 15 days after actual receipt of written demand (15 days after)
Local rules by county
County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Imperial
- Inyo
- Kern
- Kings
- Lake
- Lassen
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Modoc
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Plumas
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
Rules current as of 2026-10-25. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.